Modular martini glass with sublimation chamber

ABSTRACT

A modular drinking glass, in one embodiment, is a martini glass with a sublimation chamber. The sublimation chamber accepts a dry ice pellet, and when liquid pass over the dry ice pellet, a cooling of the glass is achieved.

BACKGROUND

A cocktail glass (also called a martini glass) is a stemmed glass which has a cone-shaped bowl placed upon a stem above a flat base. It is mainly used to serve cocktails. Its form derives from the fact that all cocktails are traditionally served chilled and contain an aromatic element. Thus, the stem allows the drinker to hold the glass without affecting the temperature of the drink, and the wide bowl places the surface of the drink directly under the drinker's nose, ensuring that the aromatic element has the desired effect. A standard cocktail glass contains 4.5 US fluid ounces (13.3 cl).

Pouring all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes, the ingredients are mixed then strained and served “straight up” (without ice) in a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with either a green olive or a twist of lemon (a strip of the peel, usually squeezed or twisted to express volatile oils onto the surface of the drink). Although there are many variations, in modern practice the standard martini is a mix of gin coupled with dry vermouth usually in a five-to-one ratio. Shaker mixing is common due to influences of popular culture, notably the fictional spy James Bond, who sometimes asked for his vodka martini to be “shaken, not stirred”. Because the taste of a cocktail can change depending on its temperature, keeping the drink cool is vital to the cocktail experience.

Dry ice, sometimes referred to as “Cardice” or as “card ice” (chiefly British English), is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is used primarily as a cooling agent. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue (other than incidental frost from moisture in the atmosphere). It is useful for preserving frozen foods, ice cream, etc., where mechanical cooling is unavailable.

Dry ice sublimates at −78.5° C. (−109.3° F.) at atmospheric pressure. This extreme cold makes the solid dangerous to handle without protection due to burns caused by freezing (frostbite). While generally nontoxic, the outgassing from it can cause asphyxiation due to displacement of oxygen in confined locations.

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO₂), comprising two oxygen atoms bonded to a single carbon atom. It is colorless, odorless, non-flammable, and slightly acidic.^([1])

At temperatures below −56.4° C. (−69.5° F.) and pressures below 5.13 atm (the triple point), CO₂ changes from a solid to a gas with no intervening liquid form, through a process called sublimation. The opposite process is called deposition, where CO₂ changes from the gas to solid phase (dry ice). At atmospheric pressure, sublimation/deposition occurs at −78.5° C. (−109.3° F.).

The density of dry ice varies, but usually ranges between about 1.4 and 1.6 g/cm³ (87-100 lb/ft³). The low temperature and direct sublimation to a gas makes dry ice an effective coolant, since it is colder than water ice and leaves no residue as it changes state.^([3])Its enthalpy of sublimation is 571 kJ/kg (25.2 kJ/mol).

Dry ice is non-polar, with a dipole moment of zero, so attractive intermolecular van der Waals forces operate.[4] The composition results in low thermal and electrical conductivity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of the modular martini glass.

FIG. 2 is a close up view of the cup portion of the modular martini glass.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cup portion of the modular martini glass.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the sublimation portion.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the stem portion.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the components of the modular martini glass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein is a modular drinking glass. When the modular drinking glass is placed upright on a table, the proximal end is defined as the region closest to the mouth of a user, while distal end is defined as the region further away from the mouth of a user. Reference to components of the modular drinking glass will be made in reference to the proximal and distal portions.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, in one embodiment, a cup portion 101 has a tapered cone shaped similar to a standard martini glass with the wider end proximal to the user, and narrow end distal to the user. Cup portion 101 has a mesh screen 102 located at the distal end, which allow for liquid to pass through. Mesh screen 102 is circular shaped. In another embodiment mesh screen 102 can be other geometrical shapes such as square or triangle to correspond with the shape of cup portion 101. Distal end 103 of cup portion 101 is coupled to a sublimation portion 104. Referring to FIG. 4, sublimation portion 104 has male threads at the proximal end to couple with female threads located on the distal end 103 of cup 101.

Sublimation portion 104 includes a circular portion 105 with a recessed sublimation chamber 106 at the proximal end and a cone shaped portion 107 at the distal end. Recessed sublimation chamber 106 holds a dry ice pellet. Circular portion 105 is adapted for a flush fit with the distal end 103 of cup portion 101 and in one embodiment has male threads.

Sublimation portion 104 has a cone shaped portion 107 at the distal end which is coupled to bottom stem 108. Referring to FIG. 5, bottom stem 108 has a pocket 109 which accepts cone shaped portion 107. In one embodiment cone shaped portion 107 is glued to pocket 109 of bottom stem 108. In another embodiment cone shaped portion 107 has male threads to couple with female threads of pocket 109 of bottom stem 108. Stem portion 108 includes a base portion 110. FIG. 6 depicts the modular components prior to assembly.

Referring to FIG. 4, sublimation portion 104 has a circular portion 105 with a sidewall 108 that modulates the sublimation rate of the dry ice pellet. Circular portion 105 with a sidewall 108 can be selected to possess different levels of insulation factors. Circular portion 105 with thinner sidewalls 108 will have a higher rate of sublimation of the dry ice pellet compared with a thicker sidewall 108. In one embodiment sidewall 108 has a thickness of 0.2 inches. In another embodiment sidewall 108 is 0.3 inches. In another embodiment sidewall 108 is 0.1 inches. In another embodiment sidewall 108 is between 0.1 to 0.5 inches. 

What is claimed is: 1) A modular drinking glass comprises: a. a cup portion having a proximal and distal end; b. a sublimation portion having a proximal and distal end; c. said sublimation portion containing a circular portion with a sublimation chamber with a side-wall thickness of 0.1 inches to 0.5 inches at the proximal end; d. a stem portion having a proximal and distal end; e. said stem portion containing a pocket at the proximal end and a base at the distal end; f. wherein the distal end of said cup portion is coupled to the proximal end of said sublimation portion; and g. wherein the distal end of said sublimation portion is coupled to said pocket of said stem portion. 2) A modular drinking glass of claim 1 wherein said cup portion includes a mesh screen in the distal end. 3) A modular drinking glass of claim 2 wherein said sublimation chamber has a side-wall thickness of 0.2 inches. 4) A modular drinking glass of claim 3 wherein the distal end of said sublimation chamber is glued to said pocket of said stem portion. 5) A modular drinking glass of claim 3 wherein the distal end of said sublimation chamber has male threads and said pocket of said stem portion has female threads. 6) A modular drinking glass of claim 4 wherein the distal end of said cup portion has female threads and said circular portion of said sublimation chamber has male threads. 7) A modular drinking glass of claim 2 wherein said sublimation chamber has a side-wall thickness of 0.1 inches. 8) A modular drinking glass of claim 7 wherein the distal end of said sublimation chamber is glued to said pocket of said stem portion. 9) A modular drinking glass of claim 7 wherein the distal end of said sublimation chamber has male threads and said pocket of said stem portion has female threads. 10) A modular drinking glass of claim 8 wherein the distal end of said cup portion has female threads and said circular portion of said sublimation chamber has male threads. 